Cigar &#34;cellophaning&#34; machine



June 26, 1934. R, J. BEUTEL.

CIGAR CELLOPHANING MACHINE Filed Oct. 7, 1930 3 Sheets-Sheet l mwN .wwNNNN ATTORNEY June 26, 19134. R. J. BEUTEL.

CIGAR CELLOPHANING MACHINE Filed oct. 7, 1930 s sheets-sheet 2 x n N wwwNm@ www Q KS.

y ATTORNEY Juneze, 1934. RJ, BEUTEL 1,964,411

CIGAR CELLOPHANING MACHINE Filed Oct. 7, 1930 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 l ff.FIGA l f5@ Z y l 4444 1 Patented `une 2 6, 1934 1,964,411 CIGARCELLOPHANING MACHINE Robert Jacob Beutel, Brooklyn, N. Y., assignor toInternational Cigar Machinery Company, a corporation of New JerseyApplication October 7, 1930, Serial No. 487,080

10 Claims.

This invention relates to machines for enveloping cigars, particularlyto a machine for enveloping cigars in transparent cellulosic materials,such as Cellophane and the like.

The main object of the present invention is to provide an organizedmachine particularly designed for the enveloping of cigars in suchmaterial. While machines have already been developed for wrappingCellophane about cigars,such machines have been in the nature ofattachments and improvements grafted on foiling or other wrappingmachines. Because of the peculiar nature of Cellophane and similartransparent cellulosic materials which are of a resilient nature whichresists folding and unfolding, unless special measures are taken toprevent same, it has been found necessary in order to increase thespeed, to completely redesign existing machines, particularly withrespect to performing the additional steps or operations necessary forthe best results with Cellophane at separate stations so that oneoperation does not interfere with or delay another.

Another object is to provide for a machine of this type in which theoperation of the cigar car-v rier or turret tends to tighten the envelopas the result of the forward movement of the enveloped cigars. A furtherobject is to produce a machine which has the above advantages and whichso delivers the cigar from the turret that, after passing through anumber of operating stations, it delivers the enveloped cigar in thesame relative position to preceding and following cigars as said cigaroccupied in the box row from which it was withdrawn for enveloping.Another object is to obtain greater speed through division of laborbetween stations such that successive operations are performedsimultaneously on a number of cigars. Still another object is to providea machine in which it is not necessary to withdraw the folders or othermechanism acting on the envelop before the cigar can be discharged, thusspeeding up the ejection of the cigars at the discharging station.Another object is to provide a machine which is capable of aparticularly wide range of adjustment for enveloping cigars of differentsizes and shapes. With these and other objects in View, the inventionconsists in certain constructions and combinations which will behereinafter fully described and then set forth in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings which form a part of this specification andin which like characters of reference indicate the same or like parts:

Fig. l is a side elevation of the improved cigar enveloping machine;

Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation of the same, on line 2 2. of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the turret on line 3 3 of Fig. 2, showingthe charging, folding and discharging mechanism associated with thedifferent stations;-

Fig. 4 is a detail View of the tucker and creasing dies adjacent one endof the envelop;

Fig. 5 is a detail plan view of the tucker on the line 5 5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is an end view of the envelop on the line 6 6 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 4 showing the tucker engaging the endof the envelop;

Fig. 8 is an end view of the envelop on the line 8 8 of Fig. '7;

Fig. 9 is a view similar to Fig. 4 showing the creasing dies engagingthe end of the envelop, the tucker having been withdrawn;

Fig. 10 is an end View of the envelop on the line 10 10'in Fig. 9;

Fig. 11 is a detail view of the pivoted finger engaging the end of theenvelop;

Fig. l2 is a similar View showing the end of the envelop folded backover the end of the cigar; and

Fig. 13 is a partial perspective view showing the appearance of one endof the finished cigar envelop -produced by the new machine.

In carrying the invention into effect, there is provided means forfeeding a web of enveloping material, means for cutting an envelop fromsaid web, 4means for folding the envelop circumferentially about a cigarWith the longitudinal edges in overlapping relation, means arranged tofeed cigars to said folding means, means for heat sealing the overlappededges of the envelop, means for successively tucking, creasing, andfolding back the ends of said envelop, a delivery table arranged toreceive the enveloped cigar, and

means for transferring the enveloped cigar from said folding means tosaid table. In the best constructions contemplated, said web feedingmeans includes intermittently operating web feeding rollers and saidcutting means includes a cam actuated knife operating to cut an envelopfrom said Web while the feeding rollers are inoperative. In the bestconstructions contemplated, also, said folding means includes anintermittently rotating turret provided with a plurality of pockets, acharging device comprising an oscillating pusher and a transfer armcooperating with said pusher to assemble an envelop and a cigar in oneof said pockets with the envelop folded about three sides of the cigar,and folding plates for folding the vedges of the envelop over the fourthside of the cigar in overlapping relation. In the preferred form ofconstruction, said heat sealing device includes a cam operated sealerfor uniting the overlapped edges of the envelop in said pocket, saidmeans for tucking, creasing and folding back the ends of the envelopincludes tuckers, heated creasing dies, and heated fingers,respectively, for performing these operations on the ends of the envelopin said pocket, and said transfer device includes a transfer armreceiving the enveloped cigar from said turret and discharging it onsaid table.

These various means and parts may be widely varied in constructionwithin the scope of the claims, for the particular machine selected toillustrate the invention is but one of many possible concreteembodiments of the same. The invention, therefore, is not to berestricted to the specific construction shown and described.

Referring to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the machine con-l sists of pedestals 20carrying a bed plate 21 on which are mounted the end frames 22 and 23and the bearing frames 24 and 25. The machine is driven through a belt26 by a pulley 27 equipped with a friction clutch 28 which is operatedthrough shift lever 29 fulcrumed on pivot 30 mounted on bracket 31.Shift lever 29 is operated by means of a cam 32 from hand lever 33fulcrumed on pivot 34 supported by bracket 35. Pulley 27 is mounted onthe main drive shaft 36 supported by end frame /23 and bearing frame 25,a concentric shaft 37 carrying crank handle 38 being slidably mounted inend frame 22 and bearing frame 2 4 to engage the drive shaft, forturning the machine by hand for purposes of adjustment.

The main drive shaft 36 is also equipped with a safety clutch 39engaging with disk 40 of the .wardly by gear 41 which is loosely mountedon shaft 36 and which meshes with gear 42 on stud 43 supported by endframe 23. To gear 42 is pinned the gear 44 driving gear 45 mounted oncam shaft 46 supported by end frames 22 and 23 and bearing frames 24 and25. Gear 45 meshes with gear 47 on the turret shaft 48, also supportedby end frames 22 and 23 and bearing frames 24 and 25.

Shaft 48 carries the turret 49 which is provided with a sleeve 50loosely mounted on said shaft. The turret 49 is provided with six radialarms 51 arranged at intervals of 60 degrees and having forked members 52loosely mounted on pivots 53. The members 52 are normally pulledinwardly towards the turret arms on which they are supported throughsprings 54 connected to the cross bars in the arms of the members 52 andthe adjacent turret arm and moved outthe folding members 55, fast onpivots 52, which are actuated by cranks 56 having rollers 57 held incontact with an oscillating cam 58 by springs 59 extending from pins 60in arms 51 to pins 61 in crank arms 62 fixed to the pivots 53.I Cam 58is oscillated by means of lever 63 having roller 64 in engagement withcam 65 mounted on shaft 46. The cam 58 is so designed that, at theproper moment as the turret rotates, the forked member 52, when actuatedby folding member 55, brings the movable jaw 66 carried by it, towardsor away from the stationary jaw 67 attached to arms 51, thus opening orclosing the cigar pocket formed thereby at the end of each turret arm51. The members 55 carry the folding plates 68 which are thus controlledby cam 58.

The turret arms 51 also carry folding members 69 equipped with foldingplates 70, these members being supported by pivots 71 and controlledthrough cam levers 72 carrying rollers 73 by cam 74 oscillated by lever63 and cam 65. The members 69 are equipped with tension springs 75 whichsecure contact of rollers 73 on cam.74.

The bottom Walls of the turret pockets are formed by plungers 76yieldingly supported by springs 77 so as to occupy their radiallyoutermost position when not held back by cigars in the pockets which, assoon as they are inserted by means hereinafter described, are clampedbetween jaws 66 and 67.

Turret 49 is driven by means of a Geneva wheel 78 actuated from crank 79and roller 80. Crank 79 mounted on shaft 81 is driven by gear 82 meshingwith gear 83 mounted on cam shaft 46.

The cigars C after boxing, are placed layer by layer .from the box intothe magazine 84 and are intermittenty fed layer by layer by fingers 85carried by an endless chain 86 towards station I vof turret 49 by meansshown in the copending application of H. H.,Wheeler, Ser. No. 268,434,filed April 9, 1928. Gear 87 on shaft 88 supported by bracket 89operates the cigar carrying plate described in said application throughmeans, not shown. Gear 87 is driven through intermediate gears 90 and 91by gear 92 mounted on cam shaft 46; At the inner end of magazine 84, thecigars C are lifted one by one, by transfer arm 93 and transfer pusher94, into the open turret pocket of station I. The pusher 94 is fastenedto shaft 95 which receives oscillating motion from gear 96 meshing withgear 97 mounted on the hub of cam lever 98 having roller 99 engagingwith cam 100 on shaft 46. Cam lever 98 and gear 97 are fulcrumed onpivot 101, fastened to bearing frame 24. The arm 93, however, is looselymounted on the shaft and cooperates with the pusher to preventrolling'of the cigar during the transfer operation so that the cigar maybe delivered to the turret in the proper position to be wrapped andejected therefrom in the position it will occupy in the cigar box.

Transfer arm 93 and pusher 94 take the cigar up to the turret pocket ofstation I, and While arm 93 is stopped in front of the said pocketthrough means hereinafter described, the pusher 94 inserts the cigar Cwith the envelop blank E, which has been cut to size and fed to theholder guides 102 by means hereinafter described, into the turretpocket, thereby folding the envelop about three sides of the cigar. Thejaw 66 of the pocket then closes immediately by the action of cam 58,thereby holding the envelop firmly on the cigar.

The Cellophane web for the envelop is fed into the holders 102 from areel 103 on a vertical core 104, by means of rollers 105 which receiveintermittent motion through gears 106 operated by gear 107 on shaft 108,through a suitable gear train such as shown in my prior Patent No.1,796,073, granted March 10, 1931. The gear 107 is connected to theshaft 108 by a ball clutch to drive it one direction only and isactuated from rack 109 hinged to lever 110 on shaft 111. Lever 110carries the cam lever 112 having roller 113 engaging with the right-handtrack of cam 114 and is thereby operated to reciprocate the rack 109.The envelop blank is cut to the required length by means of knife 115attached to shaft 116 which is actuated through lever 117 and link 118by lever 119 connected through shaft 120 to cam lever 121 carryingroller 122 engaging with cam 123 on turret shaft 48.

After the cigar C and the envelop have been assembled in the turretpocket and the latter has closed, the turret makes one-sixth of arevolution, this bringing the said pocket with the inserted cigar tostation II where the inner lengthwise fold on the fourth side of thecigar is made by means of folding plate 68 on the leading edge of theenvelop.

Moving to station III, the outer lengthwise fold is made by means offolding plate 70 on the trailing edge of the envelop, this final foldoverlapping the inner fold and thefolding plate 68 which remains in thefolding position until the enveloped cigar is ready to be sealed. Byfolding the edges of the envelop in this manner, the overlap is intrailing position when it-is discharged on the delivery table so that itdoes not tend to open lwhen it is forwarded thereon. Thereupon, the

tuckers 124, advancing from each side towards the ends of the cigar,Figs. 4, 5, .and 6, tuck the sides of the overhanging ends of theenvelop as shown in Figs. 7 and 8, so that the same may readily befolded. The tuckers 124 are fastened to rods 125 mounted on bridges 126,Figs. 1 and 2, carrying studs 127 with rollers 128 which engage with camtracks 129 of double-cams 130 on turret shaft 48. 'I'he bridges 126 areguided by horizontal rods 131 mounted in frames 22 and 24 and frames 23and 25, respectively.

While the pushers 124 are tucking the ends of the envelop, the creaserdies 132 vand 133 start to move towards the cigar ends, and as soon asthe fingers 124 have receded far enough, the upper creasers 132engagewith the lo'wer creasers 133, Fig. 9, thereby creasing the tuckedends of the envelop E. At the same time, the creases so made are sealedby the action of the heating units 134, with which the creaser dies areequipped.

The creaser dies 132 and 133 are mounted on levers 135and 136, Fig. 3,pivoted on shaft 137 supported by bearing frames 24 and 25. Levers 135and extensions 138 of levers 136, are connected through toggles 139, 140to rods 141 pivoted to levers 142 mounted on shaft 143 which issupported by bearing frames 24 and 25. Shaft 143 carrying crank arm 144,Figs. 1 and 2, is actuated through rod 145 by double-lever 146 havingroller 147 in engagement with cam 148. In order to obtain an equalmovement on both creaser levers 135 and 136, the pivots 149 connectinglinks 139 and 140 with rods 141 are guided by slotted plates 150 mountedon bearing frames 24 and 25. By this construction, it is obvious thatthe creaser dies will have a positive action with much greater pressurethan the constructions employed in prior machines of this type.

Coming to station IV, folding plate 68 moves out of the-way to allowsealer 151 to seal the lengthwise fold of the envelop. Sealer 151 whichcarries a heating unit L52 and is pivoted on rod 153, is operated bylever 154 from a cam, not shown.

The creased and sealed ends of the cigar envelop are projecting axiallywhen arriving at station IV, and in order to' insure a neat appearanceof the nished cigar package, these ends are folded back against the sideof the envelop and sealed thereon. This is done by fingers 155 equippedwith heating units 156. Fingers 155 are supported by adjustable pivots157 fastened to brackets 158 of bearing frames 24 and 25 and areactuated by rods 159 fastened to guide bridges 160 carrying studs 161provided with rollers 162 engaging in cam tracks. 163 of cams 130. Thebridges are guided by rods 164 supported in frames 22 and 24, and 23 and25.

Moving to station V, the folding plate 70 releases the enveloped cigarand jaw 66 opens thus permitting the plunger 76 to eject the envelopedcigar onto a transfer arm 165 on shaft 166 actuated from gear'segment167 engaging with segment 168 having cam lever 169, the roller 170 ofwhich engages with the left-hand track of cam 114. Cam lever 169 isloosely mounted on shaft 111. The enveloped cigar is then clamped in thetransfer arm 165 by the ejector-arms 171 which are loosely mounted onshaft 166 and have the gear segments 172 meshing with gear segments 173mounted on shaft 111-which is actuated by cam lever 174 having roller175 engaging with the right-hand track of vcam 176 on shaft 46. Arms 171are equipped with hinges 177 and tension springs 178 so that they mayyield as hereinafter described.

By the division of the enveloping operation between ve stations, greaterspeed is attained, .the present machine having a capacity of 80 cigarsper minute while the prior foiling machines have a capacity of only 50cigars per minute.

The enveloped cigar is discharged onto a delivery table 179 when thetransfer arm moves downwardly through a longitudinal slot in said tableand is resiliently pressed against said table by the arms 171. Thecigars delivered on the table are released from the arms 171 andadvanced step by step to make room for more cigars by the ejectingfingers 180 fastened on rod 181 supported by brackets 182 and operatedthrough link 183 from lever 184 mounted on shaft 185 actuated throughlever 186 and link 187 from lever 188 fulcrumed on shaft 111 having camlever 189 engaging by roller 190 with the left-hand track of cam 176 onshaft 46. 'I'his construction provides a simpler delivery in which theenveloped cigar is moved through an arc of 45 degrees instead of 90degrees as in the prior foiling machines.

The cigars while being advanced on the table 179 are guided with agentle pressure by the adjustable top plate 191 supported on studs 192slidable in slotted-cam plates 193 attached to frames 24 and 25. Plate191 is liftable by arms 194 having the handle 195 and being pivoted onshaft 196 having an arm 197 movable between two stops 198 against eitherone ofwhich it is held by a tension spring 199 attached to pin 200 inframe 24. By this means the top plate may be readily swung out of theway without detaching any parts.

Cam 201 shown on shaft 46,. by means of roller 202 on cam lever 203,actuates a shaft 204 which, through levers 205 and 206, operates a gearsegment 207. Lever 206 and segment 207 are pivoted on stud 208 mountedon frame 25. Cam 100 through cam lever 209 actuates a link 210.Segment207 and link 210 drive parts of the cigar feed not shown. Toyieldingly hold the arm 93 in normal position with respect to the pusher94, there is provided a spring 212 connecting the lugs 211 and 213, anda stop 214 on the pusher 94 engaging the pin 216 in the tail 215 of thearm 93. On its other end the arm 93 is provided with a stop 217 adaptedto engagethe abutment 218 and stop said arm at a position in front ofthe envelop blank hol-d er, the spring 212 permitting the arm 93 toyield, with respect to the pusher 94 which then carries the cigar andenvelop into the turret pockets.

What is claimed is: y

l. In a cigarA enveloping machine, the combination with means forfeeding a web of envelopsaid overlapping edges While the outer fold isheld against the inner fold on the cigar by said means, mechanism forsuccessively tucking, creasing and folding back the ends of saidenvelop, a delivery table adapted to receive the enveloped cigar, and adevice arranged to receive the enveloped cigar from said folding meansand transfer it to said table, said device for transferring theenveloped cigar from said folding means to said table including a camoperated transfer arm adapted to receive the enveloped cigar from saidfolding means' and carry it on said table, and yieldingly mountedejector arms cooperating with said transfer arm to clamp the envelopedcigar therein.

2. In a cigar enveloping machine, the combination with means for foldingan envelop circumferentially about a cigar with the longitudinal edgesof the envelop overlapping each other on the cigar, of a device for heatsealing said overlapped edges while the outer fold is held against theinner fold on the cigar by said means, and mechanism for successivelytucking, creasing and folding back the ends of said envelop, said meansincluding an intermittently rotating turret provided With a plurality ofpockets, a charging device for assembling said envelop with a cigar inone of said pockets at one station of said turret with said envelopfolded about three sides of the cigar, and folding plates operative tofold the longitudinal edges of the envelop over the fourth side of thecigar in overlapping relation, and said heat sealing device including acam actuated sealer operative to seal said overlapping edges at anotherstation of said turret while they are held in overlapping relation byone of said folding plates.

3. In a cigar enveloping machine, the combination with means for foldingan envelop circumferentially about a cigar With the longitudinal edgesof the envelop overlapping each other on the cigar, of a device for heatsealing said overlapped edges while the outer fold is held against theinner fold on the cigar by said means, and mechanism for successivelytucking, creasing and folding back the ends of said envelop, saidmechanism including cam actuated tuckers for tucking the ends of saidenvelop, toggle operated dies for transversely creasing the ends of saidenvelop and cam operated pivoted fingers operative to fold the ends ofsaid envelop back over the ends of the cigar;

4. In a cigar enveloping machine, the combination with means for foldingan envelop circumferentially about a cigar, of mechanism forsuccessively tucking, creasing and folding back the ends of saidenvelop, said mechanism including heated swingable fingers adapted tofold the tucked and creasedends of the envelop back over a side of theenvelop and heat seal them thereto.

`5. In a cigar enveloping machine, the combination with means forfolding an envelop circumferentially about a cigar, of mechanism forsuccessively tucking, creasing, and folding baci; the ends of saidenvelop, said means including an intermittently rotating turret providedwith a plurality of pockets, a charging device for assembling saidenvelop and a cigar in one of said pockets at one station of said turretwith said envelop folded about three sides of the cigar and foldingplates operative to fold the longitudinal edges of the envelop over thefourth 'sideof the cigar in overlapping relation, and said mechanismincluding tuckers, creasing dies and heated pivoted fingers arranged atother stations of said turret to respectively tuck, transversely crease,and fold back the ends of said envelop, thereby heat sealing the tuckedand creased ends to a side of the envelop.

6. In a cigar enveloping machine, the combination with means for foldingan envelop circumferentially about a cigar, of a device arranged toreceive the enveloped cigar from said means, said device including anoscillating transfer arm, yieldingly mounted ejector arms adapted toclamp y the enveloped cigar in said transfer arm, means for oscillatingsaid transfer arm, and means for oscillating said ejector arms to movethem With said oscillating transfer arm and clamp the enveloped cigarthereon.

7. Means for folding an envelop circumferentially about a cigarcomprising an intermittently rotating turret provided With a pluralityof pockets, a charging device comprising an oscillating pusher and atransfer arm yieldingly conf nected thereto for assembling an envelopand a cigar in one of said pockets at one station of said turret withsaid envelop folded about three sides of the ciga`r, a stationaryabutment adjacent the charging station of said turret, and a pair of camactuated folding plates adjacent each pocket operating to fold thelongitudinal edges of the envelop over the fourth side of the cigar inoverlapping relation, said transfer arm being adapted to support a cigarby its bottom and provided with a stop adapted to engage said abutmentand stop said transfer arm at a position in front of the chargingstation of the turret.

8. Means for successively tucking, creasing, and folding back the endsof an envelop encircling a cigar, comprising cam actuated tuckers,toggle operated creasing dies, and cam actuated heated fingers operatedto fold the ends of the envelop back over the sides of the envelop andseal them thereon.

9. 'Ihe combination with means for folding an envelop about a cigar withits longitudinal edges overlapping and its ends projecting beyond theends of the cigar, of a device for heat sealing said overlapped edges,mechanism for tucking the ends of the envelop, mechanism forsimultaneously heat sealing the ends of the envelop and creasing themalong a hinge line extending transversely of said ends, and mechanismfor folding back the tucked and creased ends about said hinge line overonto a side of the envelop, said mechanism for folding back the envelopends including heated swingable fingers.

10. The combination with means for folding an envelop circumferentiallyabout a cigar with its edges overlapping and its ends projecting beyondthe ends of the cigar, of mechanism for tucking the ends of the envelop,mechanism for simultaneously heat sealing the ends of the envelop andcreasing them along a hinge line extending transversely of said ends,and mechanism for folding back the tucked and creased ends about saidhinge line over onto a side of the envelop, said mechanism for foldingback the envelop ends including heated swingable ngers.

